


pearl-colored love

by winteranemone



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, M/M, implied Masumi/Sakuya and Homare/Azuma, sort of angsty I guess, there are some other characters in this fic I just don't tag them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23611651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winteranemone/pseuds/winteranemone
Summary: A merman became a human to search for the prince that stole his heart years ago.ー Chikage/Hisoka, Little Mermaid AU.
Relationships: Mikage Hisoka/Utsuki Chikage
Kudos: 25





	pearl-colored love

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Chikage x Hisoka Day!
> 
> I wrote a Little Mermaid AU for them, except they end up happier in here. I hope this is a good story since I usually end up being cheesy and rushed in writing a lot of content (...).
> 
> Checked once by a close friend of mine.
> 
> Please enjoy this fanwork. I'll appreciate the kudos and receptions very much.
> 
> ~ regina ~

_"Azuma, why did the mermaid princess turn into sea foam?" A young merman once asked his caretaker._

_"We can only gain an eternal soul if we marry a human, but she wasn't able to win his heart and got heartbroken."_

_"That's so sad... I don't like that."_

_"Yeah. That's why, if you ever fall in love with a human, dear Hisoka," the older merman gently smiled, "I hope you will be happier than the princess."_

* * *

Ah, he just dreamt of yet another distant memory.

The small man slowly opened his eyes and observed his surroundings, trying to remember where he was. This was the palace's guest bedroom, right.

When he descended from his bed and his feet touched the ground, a sharp pain shot through his body.   
'Oh, yeah, I have to walk carefully,' the man thought of that before he heard the sound of an open door. 

"Good morning, sir. How are you?"

"....?"

"Ah, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Sakuya and I'm assigned to be your assistant."

"It's okay.... Just call me Hisoka, I'll be in your care starting from today."

"Sir Hisoka, then! I heard from my higher-ups that your feet hurt whenever you walk, should I help you go to the washroom?"

"Mm. Thank you, Sakuya."

As he got escorted by the cheerful-looking teenage servant, the man tried recalling things over.

He was found on the sea shore by the palace's prince and was permitted to live in here yesterday. He didn't have any memories aside from his own name, but his feet felt like he stepped on swords whenever he walked and he carried an unusual longing towards the prince.

Speaking of the prince ー Chikage was his name, right? ー, the sight of him rang a bell in his completely white mind...

Hisoka took careful steps with Sakuya at his aid, trying to endure the enormous pain on his feet. One certain thing was that he came to this place for a purpose, and he has to go through all this pain and emptiness to find out what it is.

* * *

After spending half a day with introducing himself to various people and getting to some places, Sakuya left him with an eccentric man for the afternoon tea. He was said to be Homare, the palace's royal poet.

"For a royal poet, you are really noisy..."

"That is rude of you, young man. I shall have you know that I only spin artistic words when it comes to my works!"

"I'm not really interested in that, but... What are those?" Hisoka pointed at some fluffy sweets on the table.

"Ah, these are called marshmallows. Perhaps, you want to try them?"

"Yeah."

"Have a bite, then."

With a swift move, the silver-haired man took one of the sweets and bit into it. The taste was completely foreign, rich sweetness melting in his mouth.  
Before realizing it, he already took seconds from the plate. The poet chuckled at his reaction, causing him to blush a little.

"I figured out that you would like them, so I requested them for today's tea time. It is all yours, Hisoka."

"....thank you."

"Should I request Sakuya to serve these for you as snacks?"

"Eh?"

"Well, he is sort of my nephew. He could work in the palace because of my connections and I have a special relationship with him."

"I see... I'll be happy if you do so."

* * *

Days and nights passed. It was almost one week since Hisoka first lived in this place. During his stay, he started to get close to a lot of people.

Sakuya and Homare were the closest people to him. From them, he learned a lot about the kingdom's history. The additional details were through other people he interacted with.

Apparently, the king had three adoptive sons since he never got married, so he regarded them as his precious heirs. Sakyo was the eldest son followed by Chikage and Tasuku. Masumi, the mailboy whom Sakuya had a crush on, was said to be in love with Sakyo's fiancée.

He had met everyone and found out that they were nice people if not a little bit unusual. The mailboy somehow became his sleeping buddy, while the princes were interesting in their own ways. Sakyo and Tasuku were trying their best to warm up to the amnesiac guest while Chikage only sat still and smiled at him.

Remembering it made Hisoka's heart hurt.  
He didn't know why, but he understood that he was supposed to feel something for the second prince.

* * *

When a group of six people from the neighboring kingdom came over to the palace, Hisoka quickly befriended all of them. They were noisy in their own ways, but it was not unwelcome.

The people he shared similar interests with were Muku and Misumi. They played with stray cats in the garden, had mock races, and later rested under a large tree.

"Hey... What do you think about love?"

"Mm, I think it's a painful but giddy feeling... When you're in love with a person, they light your world up!"

"It's like a strong attachment to what you enjoy~ For example, I love triangles a lot~"

The answers made the usually stoic man chuckle, much to the other two's joy.

"Such a strange emotion, huh..."

Later, when all of them went back to their respective places, he was given a comic and a slice of triangle cake as friendship gifts. He got scolded by the second prince, though.

"I told you not to go far away when your feet still hurt a lot."

"...sorry, I just wanted to have fun..."

"I'll let this slide for now. ...don't force yourself, okay."

Chikage's voice strangely held pure concern. Hisoka's heart skipped a beat when he realized that the other was looking at him with a gentle gaze.

The silver-haired man spent the rest of evening in his room afterwards, absentmindedly munching on marshmallows while talking to Sakuya about feelings. After the scolding, he was completely spaced out and bashful.

The pain in his steps slightly dissipated when they arrived at a conclusion that Hisoka is in love with the prince.

Along with the realization, his heart grew heavier.

* * *

_"Hey, you have a pretty singing voice."_

_"Ah... Thank you..."_

_"Why are you underwater?"_

_"I... actually live here... This is my first time seeing the surface world."_

_"Is that so... Nice to meet you, my name is Chikage."_

_"I'm Hisoka."_

_"From now on, can be we friends?"_

_"Friends... I don't really understand, but it sounds like a good thing. Of course."_

* * *

He woke up to the feeling of someone's hand through his hair, gentle strokes almost lulling him back to sleep. But when he saw Sakuya standing at the bedside with a worried face, Hisoka knew that something was off.

".....Chikage?"

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

"I-Is it okay for a prince to visit the guest room at such an early hour?"

"If you get scolded, tell them that I wanted to visit our guest by myself."

"Ah, o-okay!"

After the young servant hurriedly walked away from the room, his visible peridot eye glanced at the prince ー the newfound object of his affection.

".....why are you here?"

"Why not?"

"...."

"Haha, such a scary glare."

"Don't act shady to me."

".....I actually missed you. It's been a long time since I last met you, but..."

The shorter man leaned into that hand, watching as the prince became at loss of words.

"...is it because of my memory loss that you have been avoiding me?"

"No, I justー"

"Mm, it's okay. I couldn't remember much, but I'm sure that you were important to me..."

"...I apologize for my past behavior."

Chikage's face grew red as he saw the other holding his hand and nuzzling his cheek into the palm of it. Hisoka faintly smiled at the sight ー he was able to see the usually composed act melting away.

"It will be okay. I hope I can remember everything soon... The reason why I am here... So, please bear with me a little more."

Afterwards, for the rest of the day, he got subtly pampered by the prince. Even though the other was in denial about it, he knew that every gesture was sincere. It made him happy to know that Chikage cared a lot about him.

Maybe, when the time is right, he would confess his feelings.

* * *

It has been one month since his arrival at the palace.

Hisoka wasn't a mere guest anymore. Everyone, even the king, regarded him as an important existence in the kingdom. Along with that, his love for the second prince became stronger.

That's why, his heart felt like it shattered to pieces when he heard about Chikage being arranged to marry the princess from a foreign country.

"Is that true...?" He asked Sakuya about it, and the servant solemnly nodded.

"Yes. There will soon be an annual ball, where a lot of people come here. I heard that Prince Chikage will be engaged to someone as he doesn't have a spouse yet."

"....thank you for the info, Sakuya."

In the late afternoon, the silver-haired man decided to walk along the shore. The sea felt nostalgic to him ー it was a place he had often seen in his dreams.   
He sat down with legs held close to the chest and looked at the waves, tears forming in his eyes. They fell down and turned into beautiful pearls, scattered around his spot.

'So, I'm not actually a human, huh...'

A hand was patting him on the head, but it didn't belong to Chikage. Rather, the actual owner was a beautiful merman with silvery white hair and pale skin.

"....Azuma?"

"Fufu. So you remembered me, Hisoka."

"My memories are still hazy, but I saw you in one of my dreams..." He started crying even more. "It hurts, Azuma... I don't know what to do..."

"You are heartbroken because of him, correct?"

"Mm, yeah... How did youー"

"I was your caretaker, so I know everything about you."

The merman then gave him a silver dagger, but he rejected the offer.

"If he actually marries someone else, use this to stab him on the wedding night. Pour his blood on your feet and you'll become a merman again."

"I... I don't want to kill him..." The sobs continued.

"I'd rather see you live with me again than seeing you turn into sea foam."

"Becoming sea foam sounds better... than having to kill Chikage..."

"Then, the choice is in your hands," Azuma looked at him with sadness, "I miss you a lot, Hisoka, but you are the one to decide your own fate."

"....I have to hurry up, then...."

* * *

Two evenings later, the palace's annual ball was held.

Even though Sakuya had picked a great outfit for him, Hisoka didn't feel like attending it. He only reluctantly went to the ball because of the food. So, in his new outfit, he sat listlessly while eating assorted desserts.

"Enjoying the atmosphere, Hisoka?"

"Itaru... Not really."

The one approaching him was one of the kingdom's lesser baron, Itaru. He had seen this person with Chikage on occasions and both of them somehow became good friends.

"Are you thinking about him again?"

"Huh?"

"I saw you staring at the second prince when he walked along with a pretty woman. You must be jealous."

"...."

Hisoka made a small pout at that sentence. Of course this person noticed that ー he knew about his feelings, after all.

"I don't want to talk about Chikage right now."

"Haha, don't sulk like that. Sorry for teasing you. But, I can help you if you want it."

"What is it...?"

"Hee, that actually got you interested... Well, let me talk to him for a while."

After the baron left him, he continued to nibble on the leftover desserts. They tasted sweet and savory, able to make him forget about his worries for a while.

* * *

When the ballroom has quieted down, he found himself getting escorted to a private lounge room. There was Chikage in there, a pair of dark blue eyes staring at him. Hisoka looked back and found Itaru winking at him as if bidding good luck.

It was just the two of them now. He decided to sit beside the other, avoiding the gaze.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"...nothing in particular."

"How come he told me to wait for you here, then?"

"....."

Noticing the unusual sullen look, the prince took a long sigh before offering a plate of chocolate cookies.

"Here, eat them first. Take your time."

".....thank you."

"Have you calmed down yet?"

"A little."

A hand reached out to pat the fluffy silver hair, earning a surprised noise. The owner of it tried to shy away from the touch but was unable to, eating the cookie while holding back his tears. It felt warm and gentle.

"Hey... You're sobbing."

"Uh, Chikage, wait... You're too kind, I'm going to cry..."

He eventually cried, the soft muffled noises filling the entire room. The tears turned into sparkling pearls which piled up on his lap. Chikage said nothing at all, only patting him until the sobs disappeared.

"...are you okay now?"

"Mm."

"If you don't mind, tell me what is bothering you."

"It's going to be long, but..."

Hisoka finally told everything that was kept in his chest, knowing that someone would listen to him. The pats on his head were still that, allowing him to relax and be honest.

"...so, can I ask something selfish?"

"What is it?"

"Please don't marry that princess..."

There was a while of silence before the other responded, "....I already rejected the proposal."

"Eh?"

"I would rather marry you than her."

The shorter man didn't dare raise his head after hearing such a statement. His face felt really hot. Who could have expected that?

"You're lying, right?"

"Why would I lie about marriage to the person that I loー nevermind. Besides, I don't know her well."

"Uuu, you're embarrassing me..."

"My fault."

"But, I'm happy... I can finally rest..."

"....Hisoka?"

"...zzz..."

Ah, he must have been tired after all the crying. Chikage shifted their positions so that Hisoka could sleep on his shoulder, looking at him gently and waiting for him to wake up soon.

* * *

_"It's been a long time since I last saw Chikage... I want to become a human so I can find him."_

_"Do you know that is too dangerous?"_

_"I'm worried about him..."_

_"...I'll give you this potion. Drink it only when you really want to meet him."_

_"What does it do?"_

_"You'll gain human legs, but you'll lose your memories and those feet will feel like you're stepping on swords whenever you take a step."_

_"Just like the potion from the mermaid princess story..."_

_"And remember, if you ever experience a deep heartbreak, you'll turn to sea foam."_

_"That's scary."_

_"But, if you manage to fall in love with a human and they reciprocate your feelings, the side effects will cease and you'll become a real human."_

_"....I'll do my best, Azuma."_

_"I believe in you, Hisoka. My dear strong child."_

* * *

Ever since that night talk, everyone noticed the change in their relationship.

They visited each other's room more often and spent a lot of time together. It was as if they were already engaged to each other. 

Even the king and other princes knew about the change, but couldn't do much about it. They were mostly alright with Chikage's choice as long as it made him happy.

That night, both of them were in the prince's bedroom. The taller man carefully stroked his fingers through the silver hair ー Hisoka seemed to be in a deep sleep and he didn't want to disturb that.

Just as he lifted his hand, the other woke up from his slumber.

"Good morning, Chikage..."

"It's already midnight, you know."

"Mm... I remembered everything from my dreams, so I wanted to tell you about them."

"Save it for the next morning."

"...hey, back then, I never properly confessed, right?"

"Huh?"

He glanced upwards to look at the other. His cheeks were tinted deep red, but his words were sincere.

"I love Chikage very much."

"...me too. Ever since a long time ago."

And then Hisoka got pulled closer for a kiss, deep and full of affection. They parted with heavy breaths before Chikage started cuddling him. The embarrassment was visible on his face, so he let the other's head nestle on his chest instead.

"Go back to sleep."

"Fufu, your heart is beating fast."

"As if yours aren't doing the same thing."

"It's warm and comfortable, I'm getting sleepy again..."

"...hm, good night."

Through the closed curtains, the gentle shine of the moon coaxed them to sleep while holding on to each other.

* * *

A few years later, both of them got married.

There were a lot of physical and emotional preparations before the wedding, but Chikage wanted to make sure he fulfilled that night's promise to Hisoka.

Everyone at the palace cheered for them. Even Sakuya cried at the wedding and Itaru teased both of them for taking so long to tie the knot. What surprised Hisoka the most was the fact that Azuma came to the wedding in a human form, prompting him to come over and hug his caretaker.

After the reception, both of the former mermen sat together to chat.

"Azuma... Are you together with Alice now?"

"Fufu, yeah. We sort of fell in love with each other, so the side effects disappeared rather quickly."

"You drank that potion too?"

"Somehow I only lost the memories prior to taking care of you, so I was able to navigate the surface world."

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone..."

"It's okay. I'm here as a human now, so I won't feel lonely anymore."

Hisoka gave the other one last hug before he was told to accompany Chikage. Azuma, with a teasing smile, encouraged him to do so before leaving to approach the royal poet.

In the evening, the newly wedded couple found themselves in the familiar lounge. Hisoka rested his head against Chikage's shoulder as they reminisced of past memories.

"We used to play together on the sea shore when we were younger, don't you remember?"

"Yeah... I ended up coming to the surface to meet you everyday."

"But when I came of age, I became so busy that I couldn't meet you anymore."

"I missed you a lot. I became a human to find you, but I couldn't even remember anything... I'm sorry for forgetting about you."

"It's not your fault. I'm surprised that we even got together after everything that had happened."

The prince kissed his spouse's head, earning a small giggle from the other. He sounded really happy.

"Let's go to the sea once in a while."

"Of course. That's not a bad idea."

And they wished for long-lasting happiness, for their marriage to last for many years to come.


End file.
